Since Ryan & I walked down the aisle after our wedding we have been constantly asked the baby question and for awhile we said we weren't sure if we were going to have any and that we wanted some married time first, well here we are married for a little over 3 years with an almost 7 month old baby girl and we are starting to be asked when we will be giving Claire a brother or sister and honestly I do not think we will be. Our little family of 3 sounds pretty perfect to me and as you all know it is a lot of work and being pregnant for like 40 weeks again, then labor and then the newborn stage seem really hard. But damnit, being pregnant for 40 weeks, then labor and then the newborn stage seem really really amazing and how am I never going to have another baby grow inside or me, how am I never going to have Ryan rub my big belly, how am I never going to try for a natural water birth/vbac, how am I never going to experience my baby latching on to breastfeed for the first time and then the sleepless nights holding a teeny tiny baby again. Now I sit here in tears just thinking about all those amazing firsts and I have had my first want and my first urge to have another, it did go away fairly quickly but I am sure they will come again and I am thankful that I got to have all those firsts with Claire and if we ever decide to continue growing our family it will be for those reasons. It will not be because 'everyone' thinks you are doing a disservice to your child by not giving them a brother or sister, or because someone tells me, "but you have to have more than one."We are happy, I hope you are happy. With whatever size family you decide to have, be it no children, 1 child or many many children. I promise not to intrude on your personal decisions but I really hope you will share them with me :) Below is my happy Z party of 3 photo from this weekend.

Claire has been awesome, she is lighting up these gloomy March days and watching her watch the rain has really made me see rain again for the first time. I am so in love and I was so jealous when Ryan got to watch her crawl around for the first time last Thursday BUT last night I really got to see her get around the living room and was even able to catch a little bit of it on video -

She is also starting to pull herself up to stand in her crib, wow. I need to start baby proofing :) remember when I said I was hoping s he would start hitting all these milestones - well as all the other parents have told me I would, I am eating my words. She is getting so big! I want to snuggle her more! Last night was a tough sleep night but holding her and watching Ryan walk around the dark house with her was amazing.

I feel like people aren't asking us as much as I thought they would. Maybe I was over prepared for the baby question…Plus, I talk about babies pretty much constantly anyway, so maybe it stops people from asking! I love watching Claire and reading about your journey and while I 100% support any decision you make, I can't say I would be opposed to having Baby ZumMallen round 2 happen around the same time Baby Rathroy is in the works… :)

Reply

Crystal

3/6/2014 02:11:41 am

I think that whatever decision works for you works for you, my opinion on it is this, having babies are hard but so worth the sleepless nights and the bags under our eyes and when you have two the joy you get from watching your older child teach and love and protect their younger sibling is the most amazing thing in the WORLD!!!!! Well I wouldn't mind seeing another beautiful baby like Claire either!!! :) Also enjoy her because I think I had avery too soon even though now I LOVE their age difference but I missed out on watching Richie grow so much cause I had a newborn to tend too, anyways just my thoughts!!!

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Andrea

3/6/2014 04:28:08 am

It's crazy how once you experience the miracle of pregnancy/birth it can make baby fever even more intense than before at times. Whatever you guys decide for your family will be the right choice :)

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Dana

3/6/2014 04:28:23 am

I really enjoy reading your blogs. You have an amazing amount of insight about your wants and needs ;)

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Lissa

3/6/2014 04:28:38 am

She is sooo cute .....7 months already?

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Robin

3/6/2014 04:29:24 am

i want a zquel!!

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Gerty

3/6/2014 04:29:36 am

Someone just told me she had a dream that I was pregnant again!

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Katie

3/6/2014 04:29:51 am

I have the same conflicting emotions. I feel like logically I would want a second, but emotionally I feel like it's impossible for me to love another baby as much as I love Lena and I want to give her all the love I have. I also really don't want to go through labor again or the newborn period, aka the dark days, haha.

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Cynthia

3/6/2014 04:30:12 am

Check out some only children and then consider.

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Nikol

3/6/2014 04:31:52 am

I know a few Cynthia I feel like my only child friends are good people and I also don't want to base my family size on how someone else was raised. I think Ryan and I will raise Claire to be a good girl even with no other siblings. But we'll see ,)